Okan Buruk: He will definitely not play in the Fenerbahçe derby

Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk provided an update on the status of Mauro Icardi after his team defeated Gaziantep FK 3-1 in the rescheduled match of the Trendyol Super Lig's 3rd week, moving to the top of the table ahead of the Fenerbahçe derby.

Addressing claims on social media suggesting that the injured striker Mauro Icardi would play, Okan Buruk said:

“Let's not believe or trust social media too much. Icardi is not in a condition to play. His treatment is ongoing. It is too early for him to play. He needs at least 1 week to 10 days of training with the team. He will definitely not play in the Fenerbahçe derby. Aside from Ziyech and Icardi, the other players will join the team.”

Evaluating the Gaziantep FK match, Okan Buruk made the following statements:

"We wanted to win to take the lead, remain the only undefeated team, and continue the style of play we have been displaying. In fact, the first half of the match was similar to the game we played last time. We were very eager. We played in the opponent's half.

We created many chances. We did not give our opponent any opportunities. In terms of productivity, we were far superior to the previous match. Our tempo dropped a bit in the second half. After the 3-0 score, with the opponent not putting much pressure on us, we kept the ball; however, our productivity remained slightly below the first half.

We didn't have many options in the offensive zone today. We had Yusuf Demir. Other than him, we had Gökdeniz and Yalın on the bench, but we had less variety of players from our main squad to bring into the attack. The score could have been better after a certain minute in the second half. I am very pleased with the game my players played and their desire. This match was critical and important before the Fenerbahçe game. We won it. Our goal is to win all our matches. I tell this to my players as well. We will be on the pitch next week to win again."

News Source: 12punto